Apparatus for the control of internal combustion engines



Dec. 23, 1941; 2,267,272

.1. BARRAJA'FRAUENFELDER ETAL APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES Filed NOV. 4, 1939 20 F761 Flai Arm/ frs- VA YrE- Q rL )3 2 /9 IV? Patented Dec. 23, 1941 APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OFINTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Joseph Barraja-Frauenfelder, Swarthmore, andOscar G. Schrom, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Sun Shipbuilding & DryDock Company, Chester, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationNovember 4, 1939, Serial No. 302,828

Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the control ofinternal combustion engines' operating on the fuel injection principle,

such as, for example, Diesel engines.

More particularly this invention has for its objectthe provision of amethod and means whereby internal combustion engines of the typeindicated may be automatically started and stopped from a point remotefrom the engine.

By virtue of this invention, as will be obvious, in variousinstallations the necessity for the presence of an attendant at theengine, or for the availability of an attendant when the engine is to-be started or stopped is obviated, since the engine from the'standpoint of starting and stopping is made subject to remote control,

Generally speaking the apparatus according to this invention, from adescription of which the method will be made clear, will comprise aspill-.-

-way in communication with the fuel line of an engine, at a pointbetween the fuel injection pump and the spray valve, and controlled by aspill valve arranged to be normally actuated by '--'--a' solenoid,provisionbeing made for manual operation in emergency.

will be closed by the spill valve and the supply of fuel to the sprayvalve "will be normal. However, when it is desired to stop *the enginethe spill valve will be opened and fuel will flow through-thespillway,'causing a pressure drop in the fuel line such that fuel willnot pass into the cylinder through the spray valve. In turn when it isdesired to start theengine the spill valve will be closed and the enginetumed'over.

More specifically, the spill valve will be actuated throughconnection-with a solenoid, which when energized will close the spillvalve and maintain it closed. At the same time, an electric starter maybe placed in -circuit with the solenoid so that when the solenoid isenergized to close thespill valve for starting, the starter V will besimultaneously actuated to turn the en- -gine overuntil it starts.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the

--nature and purpose 'of this invention, we will proceed to a'detaileddescription thereof with reference to the-accompanying drawing, whichillustrates a preferred embodiment and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a device em tbodying'this invention inassociation with the fuel lineof a Dieselengine.

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram.

In the several figures, I indicates a casing in the lower end of whichis formed a fuel passage 2, from which leads a spillway 3, which may beconnected by any suitable conduit to anysuitable receiver or to the mainfuel tank. The spillway 3 iscontrolled by a spill valve 4 adapted toseat on a suitable seat formed in the casing .l and provided with astern 5 fitted in a guide formed in the casing and provided with annulargrooves for thereception of fuel oil for its lubrication. Beneath thespill valve an opening closed by a plug 6 is provided in the casing andserves as a clear out opening and for applying and removing the spillvalve. I

Connected to the casing and communicating with one end of the fuelpassage 2 is a fuel line 1 leading from the fuel injection p mp (notshown). I'he fuel line 1 maybe connected to the casing in any usual ordesiredmanner, Thus, as shown, for example, the end of the fuelline mayhave an enlarged head 8 and thelinesecured to the casing, by a gland 9tightened up In normal operation 'of the enginethe spillway indicated bythe wiresl'Lll and whichis adaptagainst a collar III which inturn bearsagainst the base of the enlarged head 8. 1 V

Connected to the casing and communicating with the otherend of the fuelpassage 2 is a fuel line 1' leading to the fuel spray valve of theengine. The fuel spray valve (notshown) may be of any well known ordesired type. The connection of the line I with the casing may be madeas in the case of the line I, through the medium of the enlarged head8', the gland 9' and the collar l0.

Controlling the discharge end of the passage 2 is a ball check valve ll.adapted to prevent highly compressed air or gas in the working cylinderfrom flowing back through the fuel line. Where a spray valve ofthespring loaded type is used, the provision of check valve II will not benecessary.

The stem 5 of the spill valve 4 is threaded into a yoke l2, which inturn isconnected bya pin l3 to a member M in turn threaded into'thelower end of the iron core l5 of a solenoid i 6 in a circuit ed to beclosed through a. source of current ill from any remote point by, forexample, a switch l9. An electric starter 20, for turning over theengine, is arranged to be connected into and disconnected from the,circuit through the starter switch 20 A knob 23 formed on the end of asleeve 24, surrounding the rod 22 andhaving an internal flange}25'at itslower end, is adapted for manual closing of the'splll valve 4, onfailure of electric current, through the medium "or a can spring 26surroundingth'eupper end portion ofrod 1 22 and retained betweenstops-21,21 onthe'rod,

the lowerone of which is movableupwardly on the rod and will engage-withmeme-m1 flangeof the sleeve 24 and at points 90 away from the holes inthe flange 28, through which the pins 29, 29 normally extend,depressions 32, 32, for reception of the ends of pins 29, 29 are formedin the under side of the flange 25. An index mark v30 on the knob withrespect to a fixed pointer 3|, supported from the casing, indicates theposition of the knob with respect to the pins 29, 29. a

The casing i, as will be noted from observation of Figure 1, is formedin convenient sections threaded together, as at the points 33 and 34,for the convenient assembly and disassembly of the various parts of theapparatus.

From the following description of the operation of the apparatus abovedescribed, it is believed that the method according to this inventionwill be made clear.

Assuming that an engine equipped according to this invention is at restwith the circuit through the solenoid I8 open and the spill valves 4 inopen position and it is desired to start the engine. The switch I9 isclosed, thus energizing the solenoid i6 and activating the starter 29.When the solenoid is energized, the iron core I! will rise and draw thespill valve 4 to its closed position, thus shutting off the spillway 3and allowing free passage for fuel through line I, passage 2 and line'I' from the fuel injection pump to the spray valve. Activation of thestarter will effect a turning over of the engine and in due course itwill flre and will continue to operate normally so long as the circuitthrough the solenoid remains closed and the solenoid is energized. Thestarter 23 may be arranged in any suitable manner to cut out when itsfunction of starting the engine is accomplished.

With the engine in operation, when it is desired to stop the engine, itis only necessary to open the switch l9, which will result inde-energizing the solenoid l3 and dropping of the core it under its ownweight and that of the spill valve 4, with resultant opening of thespill valve 4. With opening of the spill valve 4, fuel from theinjection pump will be discharged through the spillway 3 to an extentsuch that the pressure in the fuel line i to the spray valve will beinsuflicient for the injection of fuel into the cylinder against thecompression therein and the engine will stop.

Should the source of current fail and negative use of the solenoid I 6for closing the spill valve I, the valve may be closed manually bylifting knob 23 against the tension of spring 26 to a point above theends of pins 29, 29. The tension of spring 23 will close the spill valveand hold it to its seat and the conditionwill be continued by rotatingthe knob until the ends of the pins 29, 29 engage in the depressions onthe underside of flange 23 and it rests on the ends of the pins,'withthe index. 30 at 90 from the pointer 3!, as shown in Figure 2.;

To stop the engine under such conditions it is 3 1 "I 7 j v necessaryonly to mt tetnemau-w'mm pins 29,-29yalign witli'the holes in'th'e 23',and lower ,it-to the in Figure I. 'whichwill'relieve spring 26 andpermit the spill valve I to open under the weight of the iron core l5.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended that this invention belimited to the details comprising the above description of a preferredembodiment, since, as will be obvious, various modification in detailmay be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: g

1. In an internal combustion engine of the fuel injection type, incombination, a fuel pump, a spray valve, a conduit leading from the fuelpump to the spray valve, a spillway communicating with said conduit, avalve arranged to control said spillway, and electrically actuated meansfor actuating said valve to its fully closed position, saidvalve beingarranged to move to its fully open position when said electricallyactuated means are inoperative.

2. In an internal combustion engine of the fuel inJection type, incombination, a fuel pump, a spray valve, a conduit leading from the fuelpump to the spray valve, a spillway communicating with said conduit, avalve arranged to control said spillway, and electrically actuated meansadapted when energized .to position said valve to close said spillwayand to maintain said valve in said position during operation of theengine, said valve being arranged to open to stop the engine when saidelectrically actuated means is deenergized.

3. In an internal combustion engine of the fuel injection type, incombination, a fuel pump, a spray valve, a. conduit leading from thefuel pump. to the spray valve, a spillway communicating with saidconduit, a valve arranged to control said spillway. and a solenoidincluding a movable core arranged to actuate said valve to closedposition when the solenoid is energized,

' said core being arranged to open said valve under,

the influence of gravity when the solenoid is deenergized.

4. In an internal combustion engine of the fuel injection type, incombination, a fuel pump, a spray valve, a conduit leading from the fuelpump to the spray valve, a spillway communi cating with said conduit, avalve arranged to control said spillway, a stem on said valve, asolenoid including a movable core, said valve stem being connected tosaid movable core whereby when the solenoid is energized said valve willbe moved to a position to shut off said spillway and when the solenoidfade-energized said valve will move under the weight of said core to aposition to open said spillway.

5. In an internal combustion engine of the fuel injection type, incombination, a fuel pump, a spray valve, a conduit leading from the fuelpump to the spray valve, a spillway communicating with said conduit, avalve arranged to control said spillway, a solenoid including a mov-JOSEPH BARRAJA-FRAU'ENFELDER. OSCAR a. sermon

